Oedra
Oedra, also known as The Dark World, ''or ''Dremhel ''in Aenga, is one of the two worlds in which The Stargazer Saga takes place. It is currently dominated by an imperial occupation from the alternate world of Aemedra, resulting from Oedra losing a global conflict known as the Heavenly War. It is defined by 3 main continents, divided into 5 political entities called realms. These realms, in order from largest to smallest, are Tenikai, Aur, Nichea, Setsunea, and Enkei. Oedra has a large black moon and supports a ring system. The dominant species of Oedra is a race of humans called Dremori. Geography Oedra's surface is roughly equal parts landmass and ocean, with much of the land gathered in a large continent that covers the better part of the northern hemisphere. This northern continent contains the realms of Tenikai and Setsunea, with the smaller continent of Aur attaching just south of the equator. Nichea covers the south pole, and the chain of islands that makes up Enkei are located far west of the Great Souther Sea, marking the centre of the Burning Sea. Tenikai : ''main page: Tenikai '' The largest of the five realms by far, Tenikai is greater in area than the other four combined. However, the vast majority of it is frozen and inhospitable, and so it is also the least populated. Tenikai features vast expanses of evergreen forest and taiga in its southern reaches, with long rocky mountain chains and large fields of frozen tundra. Tenikai features a large body of water called Vhael's Bay, which defines the border of Setsunea. The Tenika peoples are nomadic and very pacifistic. They have never had any sort of united government or military, and as such, have made easy targets for conquest from other realms. Much of Tenikai has been claimed and conquered by both Aur and Setsunea, and most conflicts between the two were over disputed territory in Tenikai. Tenika natives follow the Valaik faith, which worships no gods, but rather aspects of nature itself, and dictates that no man has claim to ownership of the Earth. They are commonly reddish-brown skinned, with dark grey hair and blue eyes. Aur : ''main page: Aur The Aurish continent juts out from the southernmost tip of Tenikai, connected by an isthmus flanked by the Aurish sea to the west, and the Gulf of Bera to the east. Aur crosses and dips south of Oedra's equator, well into the southern hemisphere. Most of Aur is desert, which becomes dry canyons and finally savanna as the realm extends northwards into Tenikai. The Rhalo mountains cover the westermost area of Aur, and feature numerous vales that extend into fjords along the coast of the Kaathic Sea. As a nation, Aur is Oedra's oldest established realm. Throughout history, Aur has gained a reputation as being very aggressive and ambitious, ruled by iron-fisted emperors who lusted for more power and territory. The Aurish are tan or dark skinned with brown or black hair and thin eyes of red, gold or black. Nichea : main page: Nichea Nichea makes up the southern continent, which consists of an ice cap covering the south pole with chains of volcanic mountains pushing up through the glaciers. It is an utterly barren landscape, and therefore has never been populated by humankind. Setsunea : main page: Setsunea '' Though it had humble beginnings, Setsunea quietly grew into the most powerful empire Oedra had ever seen. Setsunea mainly consists of an archipelago of large islands breaking off from the eastern side of Tenikai, but it has conquered a good deal of land and established many colonies during it's history. The marshy land of Setsunea is some of the most fertile and rich in Oedra, and most of Setsunea's power came from sharing its prosperity with neighbouring kingdoms, rather than simple conquest and assimilation. However, if it came to war, Setsunea was well equipped to deal with it. Setsunea is a tropical coastal region, featuring dense rainforests and sandy beaches, as well as sizable expanses of swampland and deciduous forest. The Dominions of Anghol, Castalor, Hemal, Kaath, and Zelo Marel are under the protection and sovereignty of the King of Setsunea, called the Sun King. Setsuneans are a fair skinned people, commonly with hazel or green eyes and light brown hair. Enkei : ''main page: Enkei Like Nichea, Enkei resides in the volcanic southern reaches of the world, and, like Nichea, it is an unforgiving, uninhabitable place. Consisting of nothing more than a single large island located in the centre of the Burning Sea, Enkei features dark craggy cliffs and burnt wastelands. It is a dry, hellish place, riddled with highly active volcanos and scarred by massive faultlines. There is evidence Enkei was once a more hospitable land and was once populated, and so it is assumed that a series of sudden, cataclysmic eruptions tore the island apart and buried it in ash. Climate Oedra is tilted on its orbit, but not so much as Earth, and so the variance in the seasons is less dramatic. It is also slightly further from its Sun and so the overall temperature of Oedra is cooler than Earth's. A long dry autumn and rainy spring take up most of the year, with a short but harsh winter and a very brief summer. The upper atmosphere of Oedra is permanently cloudy. As such, Oedra's days are somewhat dim, and its nights pitch black. The transparency of this cloud layer varies with the seasons, becoming thinner in the warmer months, and at the peak of summer, stars become visible. The reflection of the rings and moon are always visible, however. Anthropology and Biology Humans The Dremori are the only sentient race living in Oedra, though they were predated by a similar race of men called the Varesi, who are long extinct. The living conditions and technology of modern Oedra resemble a mid-renaissance era, though this varies between realms. Commerce is an international affair, and trans-oceanic travel is common. Fauna The wilderness of Oedra is home to many large predators, some similar to those that roamed Earth during the Pleistocene epoch, (e.g. saber-toothed cats, wooly mammoths, giant sloths, etc.) There also are many species that do not resemble Earth-like species, some prominent examples include: *Aeroth - mountain-dwelling airborne reptiles, resembling pterodactyls. *Gyodak - huge centipede-like creatures found in the deserts of Aur. *Rypha - great cats hailing from the Setsunean jungles. *Nyada - colossal multi-limbed beasts that dwell in the crevasses of the ocean floor. *Vaerak - horned, fur-covered omnivores that roam the northern glacial regions. Much of Oedra's wildlife is extremely dangerous and hostile. Most carnivores are many times larger than a human, and are evolved to kill prey with extremely sturdy natural defenses. Even herbivorous animals are considered deadly. Flora Oedra's plantlife is very similar to Earths, with the exception of some significantly large tree and flower species. A few story-relevant plants are: *Kihlaya - a hardy flower found growing off of high mountain cliffs. *Nichlaya - often called "blood blossom," it is known to grow in old battlefields, and has dark red petals. *Sweetwater Tree - a fruitbearing plant found in the Aurish desert. It's fruit is a prized delicacy. Varesi Ruins One of Oedra's most notable features are the vast networks of underground ruins left behind by the Varesi civilization. No one living remembers the Varesi, and the ruins are far older than any recorded history. Though these systems of tunnels and chambers are known to be very expansive, their true extent is unknown, and their purpose a complete mystery. Many explorers have been lost venturing too far into the depths of the treacherous labyrinths in the hopeless quest to find the answers. It is also believed that the Varesi constructed the Gates, though again, how or why they did so is unknown. Category:Locations